


소중한 그대에게 / For You, My Precious

by hellolovelyautumn



Category: Lovelyz, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: College, Slice of Life, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 06:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21070037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellolovelyautumn/pseuds/hellolovelyautumn
Summary: A JEON JUNGKOOK X JUNG YEIN SHORTIt's been seven years since graduation. Jeon Jungkook goes for his college's theatre club's alumni gathering and there he meets his treasured one.Written since February 2019Published: 18 October 2019





	1. part one

"Ohh. Look who's here!"

"Eh hey, high flyer in the house!"

Jungkook sent his friends a glare and put one finger to his lips in an attempt to get them to quieten down. Not that it wasn't a known fact amongst the people in the restaurant, but he'd rather avoid the attention it would attract.

He slightly raised his hand when one of his friends pointed him towards the seat in front of him as a gesture of thanks. Before sitting down, he did his best to naturally glance across the room, trying to see if a particular person was around. Not able to find the person, he sat down feeling a little dejected.

"So how's our famous boy doing?"

"He obviously should be doing fine. Look at him!"

Jungkook grunted in response. Using both index fingers to point towards the bags under his eyes, he sarcastically commented, "well, if this to you means fine, then you're mad."

"Still, you've been frequently on the news. That's a good thing."

He partially nodded and yet shook his head. "The brand's the one on the news, not me."

Jungkook had newly launched his own brand, albeit under the company he was working for. He had been training and persevering in the fashion line and finally managed to get his project approved. It had been half a year since its launch and because of that, he had been swamped with work every day.

The boys continued receiving updates about each other's lives, having not seen each other for almost seven years. All were part of the musical and theatre club back in college and upon graduating, had gone their own ways. The club, after all, was simply a place for them to pursue their interests.

There were some exceptions though. One such example was Jungkook. He had enrolled into interior design, found his way to making props for the club and ended up discovering his passion for fashion when he started helping out with the costumes.

"Ah, ya ya ya!" the friend beside him frantically began hitting his arm. "Here comes the three fairies!"

Jungkook's eyes grew wide as he slowly turned towards the doorway. He was feeling uncannily nervous. There at the entrance were the three girls who were dubbed 'three fairies' because for one, they were like the best of friends and two, they were seriously comparable to fairies.

And as previously mentioned, there were exceptions like Jungkook. He wasn't the only one. _She_ was other.

He couldn't help but leave his mouth slightly ajar, blatantly staring at her. To say that she was beautiful back then would be a lie for now after seven years, she was absolutely stunning.

She was essentially glowing. It couldn't be her clothes for all she had on was a basic grey hoodie and a pair of washed-out jeans. A simple black tote bag was slung over her shoulders and her tinted hair fell messily yet prettily past them. She, in reality, wasn't glowing but to Jungkook, it very much seemed she was.

She was the other one who didn't go into the industry she had been studying in college. She had enrolled into the biochem engineering course but working on stage props at club was so enjoyable she eventually chose to pursue it upon graduating.

"So got a girlfriend?"

Jungkook's pleasant thoughts were rudely interrupted. He mentally sighed at the question – something that was bound to surface for it was always the 'it' question to ask.

"Nah. I don't even have the time to date."

In response, his friends jeered, not buying his reason. However, being as flippant as they were, they soon diverted the attention to another person and his love life.

_"I don't even have the time to date."_

It was half truth, half lie.

It was true that he had been really busy at work, leaving little time to actually date, but he did see a few people. All those relationships ended the same way and through them, Jungkook came to realise the reason to it.

He had three girlfriends the past seven years upon graduating. To be exact, six because he was still _healing_ in the first year.

The first was a bubbly, enthusiastic girl, a little like _her_ and yet unlike. She laughed a lot, chatted a lot and her love for couple activities was overbearing. There was once she insisted on climbing all the way up to Namsan Tower _on foot_ just to do the padlock thing. It took a whole month of constant whining until Jungkook couldn't take it anymore and had to give in. She was a co-worker from his previous firm and they had dated for close to eight months before she broke up with him.

The second was a sophisticated, third-generation chaebol, much unlike _her_. Working in the fashion industry gave him many chances to meet people with diamonds in their pockets. She was the kind who was always on the top with things and was a self-proclaimed 'socialite' and 'influencer'. Knowing she wouldn't be much of a keeper, he didn't invest much time or effort into her. He only said 'okay' to dating her because he had some time in his hands. He knew that it was a relationship that wouldn't take off anyway and they broke off after six months.

The last and most recent, albeit three years back, was an intelligent bookworm. Although the term 'bookworm' is used, she wasn't the nerdy-looking kind. In fact, she had a sweet and confident demeanour. She worked at the library he frequented on his off-days, being an avid reader himself. She spoke with an air of professionalism and never got angry. Yet, the relationship, though the longest, lasted less than a year.

The break ups were different too. The first was bad, the girl threw a tantrum and blamed him for every single thing he didn't do. The second and third were less crazy, more mature. However, the one thing that was similar across all three was the fact that Jungkook didn't feel broken. He didn't miss the time spent with them; he didn't miss their presence. It was just as they had mentioned. "You don't hate me and you may like me. But you don't love me."

_Love_.

He knew. He understood. He could never love them wholeheartedly because he had held on to someone else in his heart. He would think occasionally think about their past moments together and the little things they did. He would remember how his heart raced when he was with her and the genuine smile on her small, beautiful face.

He couldn't let someone else take over that place in his heart. No, he wouldn't. _She_ was the only one he had allowed in and kept in.

And that _she_ was Jung Yein.

Gazing in her direction, Jungkook had been watching her since she arrived. He thought it pure joy when Yein settled down at the table just ahead of his, allowing him to see her without needing to position himself awkwardly. From his seat, he had a clear view of her profile, sporadically catching a glimpse of her full face whenever she turned her head to laugh.

_She looks the same._

Indeed, Yein did. Anyone who saw her for the first time would have thought she was still in college, or maybe even a high school student if not for her coloured hair. She was wrinkle free, except for the crinkles at the corners of her eyes whenever she burst out in hysterical laughter. Her nose was free of the spectacles that once used to sit snugly and even her hands looked as delicate as they had been, despite the harsh hands-on work she was involved in.

Her table must have been talking about something funny for Jungkook caught her in another fit of laughter. That beautiful expression brought him back to one of the first moments he had with her.

_Jungkook rushed past the doorway and down the corridor. He wasn't running but he was walking in a pretty quick pace because he knew there was a lot left to be done. He couldn't afford to take his own sweet time._

_Upon nearing the club room, he was surprised to see light shining through the small window of the heavy door. He wasn't expecting anyone to be inside. A little curious, he peeked through the glass with his hand resting on the handle. The identity of the person inside caused him to raise his eyebrows, thinking how it was totally unexpected._

_Cranking the handle, he led himself enter the club room, the action causing the occupant to look up. Jung Yein was seated cross-legged on the floor amongst a mass (and mess) of props and paint; her clothes already spying some careless stains._

_"Ah, sunbae. You're here." Politely giving a nod of her head, she greeted him. "Hello."_

_He noted that she had a rather gentle voice which gave the unsaid impression that she wouldn't be one to get mad and shout at others. Despite being part of the same club for coming five months, it was one of the first few times he heard her voice for they had never exchanged words before. She had just entered college that year while he was a sophomore and had been in the club since his first year._

_Nodding his head in response, he let his bag slide off his shoulders and dropped it gently on the floor. "I'm surprised you're here. It was supposed to be only me since Kangjoo noona can't make it today."_

_Seeing her lips curl downwards by just a tiny bit, he understood her emotions as she replied, "Kangjoo unni asked me to help." Looking back up at him with the frown now absent, she added, "I am pretty free anyway."_

_Kangjoo was a year above Jungkook and was the other co-director of the stage set-up. For him to be director was an exception for usually only seniors were chosen. But because of his capability, he was easily given the responsibility of handling the club's stage. Kangjoo was reliable and passionate about her club work but because her mother had been admitted to the hospital two days ago, she had been running back and forth between school and the hospital. As such, Jungkook had been the main one holding the fort while she was gone._

_"Don't you have exams?"_

_It was exam week for most and therefore, the members were on break from club activities. However, the mountain of unfinished work was scarily high that Jungkook had been quietly sacrificing some of his school work time._

_"I do but I don't want to study. My brain has enough of that already," replied Yein who didn't bother to raise her head while talking. She had her focus on painting the prop that was in front of her._

_"I guess you must be what they call a genius who doesn't need to study?" Jungkook said as he walked across the room to begin working on another prop._

_"Definitely not. I work my butt off and practically burn my brain cells every day. Doing this helps me recover."_

_The no-nonsense way she said it made Jungkook chuckle, surprised once again at how she seemed different than how she appeared to be. He had thought she was quiet and soft-spoken, which she generally was, just that sometimes her manner of speaking seemed strong and firm._

_Quietly going to work, the both of them soon dived into their own world of prop-making. The only sounds heard in the room were of the thumping and shuffling of cardboard and wood, and also the light, calm breathing of the two._

_You might think that t_ _he indication to stop working was found in Jungkook's stomach but you're wrong. Yein had tried to call him countless times before deciding to get up to wave a hand in his face._

_Snapping his focus away from the work he was carving, Jungkook looked at her in surprise. "Eh?"_

_He watched as she frowned slightly and released a soft sigh. "I was saying, it's already seven-thirty. Aren't you hungry?"_

_"Ah!" Jungkook exclaimed._

_Feeling bad that he didn't watch the time and also flustered by the close distance between him and her, he fumbled with his tools. With one slipping out of his hands, he reacted to try and catch it before it fell, causing the one in his other hand to drop. In the end, both tools hit the ground with a clang._

_Jungkook immediately bent down to pick them up only to hear a burst of laughter from above. Raising his head, he saw her reeling backwards while hugging her stomach. As he stood up, he kept his eyes curiously on her._

_Watching her now from an angle above for he was quite a bit taller than her, he was overwhelmed._

_He was smitten._

_Her eyes disappeared as the corners crinkled to produce such alluring smiling eyes. She laughed with her mouth wide open – not that it was unmannerly of her but it just expressed her down-to-earth personality which was unexplainably attractive to Jungkook. The messy locks of hair that had come loose from her bun constantly fell in front of her face and she eventually brushed them aside when she had calmed down._

_Tucking one lock behind her ear, she giggled, "I didn't think you'd be clumsy, sunbae."_

_Internally rebuking his heart to calm down for it had been beating a little faster than usual, Jungkook finally managed to regain his composure._

_"I'm sorry I wasn't aware of the time." Pointing towards the door, he said, "let's go and grab some food."_


	2. part two

Jungkook let a small chuckle as he recalled the incident, thinking how much of an idiot he was back then. It didn't get unnoticed by his friend sitting across of him who immediately squinted at him.

"What's this? What were you thinking about?"

Nervously folding his lips in upon realising he was caught, he played it cool by shaking his head and picking up his glass of beer. Thankfully, he still had a little left to save him.

Now that his glass was empty, he raised his hand with the intention to call for the waiter. Right then, _she_ happened to glance in his direction, catching sight of his raised hand. Jungkook felt his heart stop for a split second when their eyes unexpectedly made contact.

The college him would have dropped his gaze immediately out of shyness. But now, he was a man who could hold his gaze confidently even if he was shy (which in all honesty, he was, for he was somehow always kind of shy around her).

A nostalgic smile spread across Yein's face as she opened her palm to send a tiny wave. Struck, Jungkook could only nod in response before he was distracted by the waiter who walked into the frame, asking him what he wanted. By the time the guy walked away, she was back to being part of the conversations at her table.

He missed that.

He had reminisced of the times back then but now that he had seen that familiar smile and that familiar wave, he was missing it even more.

It was something that they exchanged every time they saw each other; at the cafeteria while lining up for food or looking for a place to sit; along the corridors while moving from class to class; after school at the bus stop. She would flash that smile and wave while he would reply with a nod and occasionally, a wave.

To the people around, it was like they were simply acquaintances; members of the same club. And it was true that that was all they ever exchanged in public. They weren't the kind who'd stop to chat like most friends would.

Even during club time or prop-making time. He'd do his and she'd do hers. He had his group of friends, she had hers.

It's like they weren't friends. It was the truth. Jungkook never felt like he could ever label them as friends. However, contrary to that, whenever they came together, they'd hit off like they've known each other since childhood.

No one ever knew they even interacted. It was like there was an unsaid secret which neither Jungkook nor Yein bothered to tell their own friends. Also, it wasn't something they decided through discussion. It just quietly turned out that way.

_Jungkook was bidding his coursemates goodbye when his phone buzzed. Taking a look at it, a small half-a-smile formed on his face and he swiped it to reply. It was Yein who was asking about a certain prop progress._

_She must already be at the club room._

_They had begun exchanging messages more often purely due to the need brought up by their club duties. This production, Yein was holding the role of Assistant Director, under Jungkook._

_Reaching the club room, he found her bustling about with her clipboard in hand, noting down the various progress of each stage prop._

_The creaking sound of the opening door caused her to sharply twirl around on her toes to face him. With a bright smile and a large swing of her hand, she waved and greeted._

_"Yo! You're here Jeon!"_

_"Yo." He gently closed the door behind him. "What time did you reach?"_

_"Oh, not that long ago." Yein shook her head. "A while before I texted you."_

_Jungkook nodded and hummed as he dropped his bag onto a nearby chair. He was trying hard not to stare at her for her hair was now a light shade of brown, looking almost blonde under the streams of sunlight that went past the curtains through the windows._

_His efforts proved futile as she caught on and grinned widely. Pointing at her head, she piped cheerily, "surprised at this?"_

_Seeing her excited expression and animated gestures, something he only got to see when they were alone, he smiled._

_"Yeah, when did this happen? I didn't see you around with that hair yesterday."_

_"Because I did it yesterday! After school."_

_"It suits you. Surprisingly."_

_Yein frowned at the latter half of his statement. "What do you mean by that?" She placed her hands on her waist and squinted at him._

_Jungkook shrugged as he scanned her from head to toe. Tilting his head to the side, he answered nonchalantly, "well, just, you know. When girls go blonde they tend to look... more bitchy?"_

_She widened her eyes in anticipation because it sounded like he had more to say._

_"And you just don't look _ _as_ _ bitchy?"_

_"Excuse me?!" Yein's jaw dropped at his remark._

_Rushing over, she attempted to tackle him; she lightly punched his right arm and grabbed it, intending to twist it behind his back. But being the stronger, and obviously bigger (and taller by a whole head), Jungkook easily stopped her, pushing her away at arm's length._

_Seeing her up close affirmed his initial thoughts. The blonde hair suit her really well. It didn't make her look bitchy; not a single bit at all. Instead, it seemed to give her an air of bright energy, making her every move, especially her smile, glow like the sun._

_He silently wondered why she decided to take on such a crazy colour, having thought she wouldn't be the kind who'd want to go blonde. Her personality was the kind who'd opt for subtle brown._

_But then again, she can probably pull off any colour with her beautiful face and stature._

_Sensing his distraction, Yein suddenly slipped out of his grasp and pounced on him, wrapping an arm around his neck. Engaged in a headlock, she ruffled his hair in triumph while he struggled to free himself._

_This level of physical interaction was normal. Only when they were alone._


	3. part three

"Jeon!"

Jungkook froze in his tracks and looked ahead. _She _was right in front of him. Even under the bad corridor lighting, he could tell her face was a little flushed.

_I hope she didn't drink much._

"Yo," Yein greeted with a smile, her teeth eventually showing.

It made him happy; it was always better to see her smile _at him _than from afar when she was with her friends.

"Hey. How've you been?"

He internally berated himself for asking such a lame typical question. No one could fault him though, for he wasn't expecting to strike a conversation with her or vice versa.

"Good good. It's been a little busy lately; we're currently filming a drama."

Jungkook chuckled, "yeah, you do look like you could do with some sleep."

"You do too," she returned with a small laugh of her own.

There was a brief silence before Yein broke it with a question.

"The girls were talking about going for a round two later. You guys going too?"

"Ah, round two?"

Usually, Jungkook didn't really bother much about going for the second round. It was more like an unwanted hassle to him. He did like to sing but if it's at the noraebang with a whole bunch of people, he'd end up sitting and focusing on the drinks and snacks instead.

"You are all going?"

Yein nodded. "I mean, it's not often that I get off-days over the weekends but I happen to have one tomorrow!"

Right, it was a Friday and Jungkook knew that although he could excuse himself saying he had work to do, he actually didn't have anything urgent to be done. He did ensure he would be more or less rested over the weekends.

"Yein ah!"

One of the girls at her table had walked over to call her. When she saw Jungkook, the girl had a rather surprised expression which she tried not to show. Giving a nod of her head, she sent a greeting to him and he responded in the same way.

Jungkook gave a second nod to Yein as a form of saying bye as he walked past them to head back to his table.

Upon reaching, he noticed his friends packing up and settling the bill. Scanning the place, he saw that about half had already left and the leftover half were all getting ready to leave. Those who had left were a mixture of people who had work and those who had kids to care for. Seven years after college inevitably resulted in a diverse range of profiles amongst their alumni members.

"Oh Jungkook! They were suggesting for a round two at the noraebang!" His eyes followed his friend as the guy gestured towards Yein's table. "You... probably aren't joining us, are you?"

Jungkook's gaze was still towards Yein's table and as they made eye contact, he felt his stomach churn. And that was when he decided; he didn't want this moment to end. Not here, not now.

"I'll join y'all," he replied, picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

Facing his friends, he saw the look of disbelief on all of them. Doubting his ears, his friend repeated, "you're joining us?"

"For real?"

"Come on, let's go already."

Elated, his friends ran after him and piled up on him. It was really rare for Jungkook to join them and they weren't going to let this opportunity go to waste.

However, barely ten minutes since he agreed to join them, Jungkook was regretting his decision. They were presently at the noraebang one of his friends frequented and it was ridiculously crazy inside.

_How can they even call this singing?! _He deadpanned as he watched his friends and other peers scream into the mic.

In addition, he was extra cranky because Yein was nowhere in sight. Due to the large number of people, they needed to split into three different rooms. And although they could freely move in and out of the rooms, Jungkook simply stayed with those he was comfortable with.

It reached a point where the screaming was too much for him to handle and he decided to step out of the room for a breather.

Pressing the button, he sighed as his drink dropped to the bottom with a clunk. Bending down to retrieve his can of coffee, he sighed again.

_Why did I even decide to come again?_

"That's some series of sighs there."

Jungkook's eyes grew wide when he recognised the voice. He sprung up on his feet and spun around so quickly he almost bumped into her.

Chuckling at his reaction, the owner of a voice flashed a smile and casually turned her attention to the vending machine. She fed the coins she had readied and picked her choice of drink. Hearing the same clunk, she bent down to take it.

All the while, Jungkook hadn't moved an inch. That meant that he was more or less still pretty close to the machine. And that meant, she was _super _close to him.

For a split second when she was close enough, he could briefly smell what was leftover from her hair conditioner after a long day.

"Why are you here?"

Yein broke his chain of thoughts. Diverting his gaze away from her, Jungkook raised his drink and shrugged his shoulders.

Popping the tab, he answered, "just needed a breather." Scrunching his face up to express his discomfort, he continued, "it's crazy in there. I can't."

A laughter escaped from her as she nodded fervently. "It's mad where I'm at too. Too much."

"Plus..." she continued softly, "it's been a long day."

Looking up at Jungkook who had his head tilted to the side with a curious expression, she gave a small smile. "I don't have the energy to keep up with them."

It was a pretty smile – anything about her was pretty to Jungkook – but he knew it wasn't an honest one.

Without sparing a thought, he blurted out, "shall we get out of here then?"

The look of surprise on Yein's face snapped him back to realise what he had said. He started to panic, worried if it came across weirdly; whether it made her feel uncomfortable.

"Sure, let's go."

_"What do you want? Americano? Latte?"_

_"Mmm, I think I'll get a hot chocolate. If I drink coffee now, I'll probably be up all night."_

_"One hot chocolate, one iced americano... cake?"_

_"Cheesecake?"_

_"And one cheesecake please," Jungkook informed the cashier as he readied his card to swipe on the paywave scanner._

_Yein flashed her friendly service smile to the guy across the counter as she took the beeper for their order. Jungkook was in no position to be upset about it; he wasn't her boyfriend or anything but the way the guy checked her out irked him._

_Swiping his card quickly, he nudged her away from the counter. Taking a seat at the far end of the cafe, he made sure she sat in the seat where her back faced the kitchen. He wasn't going to let that idiot stare at her._

_An exasperated sigh distracted him and he watched as Yein slumped onto the table (that was clean, thankfully)._

_"I think I'm gonna go crazy. My profs are mad! They surely have no heart!"_

_Jungkook listened attentively as she grumbled about her school assignments. He knew how difficult it has been for her ever since she began taking on more mods this semester. She was trying to finish her biochem engineering degree a year early so that she could begin taking the stage theatre production course._

_Fighting the temptation to pat her head, he fidgeted with his hands. Unknowingly giving in, he gently pat her head. When he realised what he had just done, his hand froze as it hovered hesitantly over her. Attempting to be natural, he covered it up by ruffling her hair._

_Raising her head up to look at him with a pout, Yein let out a whine. "Help me please, Jeon?"_

_Shit. Jungkook cursed in his head. The look she gave him made him weak in the knees and he so very much wanted to grab hold of her by the cheeks and plant kisses on her._

_He thanked the heavens when their beeper sounded. Reaching over to pinch her nose, he then lightly flicked her forehead. Watching her wince in response made the edge of his lips curl upwards slightly. Getting up, he took the beeper and headed to the counter._

_On his way back from collecting their orders, he heard other customers in the cafe whispering amongst themselves._

_"Man they're a couple worth being jealous over. She's so pretty and he's handsome!"_

_"I wish I had a guy like that."_

_"He's so lucky to have a girl like her!"_

_Jungkook felt his chest puff up a little. He knew he shouldn't let it get too far ahead in his head but he was kind of happy that people saw them as a couple. He secretly wished it could be true but he never had the guts to confess to her. He didn't think he was good enough; he didn't have the confidence that she would reciprocate his feelings._

_"Here's your hot choc."_

_He placed the tray on the table and picked up the cup to place it in front of her. Transferring the other orders onto the table, he sat down and watched as she took a sip from her cup. Yein's eyes immediately lit up upon tasting the sweet, refreshing drink and she smiled gleefully._

Watching the same girl, seven years on, sipping on her cold can of milk tea, Jungkook couldn't help but stare and watch her every move. It was almost like a splitting image from his memory; her in front of him, smiling happily because of a simple drink.

Seeing her play with the tab on the can with her fingers, he asked softly, "today was tiring?"

Eyes fluttering up to look at him, Yein chuckled and leaned back in the convenience store's plastic chair. Stretching her hands out, she sent a meek expression his way.

"You're the same, Jeon. You see right through me."

Tilting his head to the side, Jungkook wondered if she meant what she said. He knew he was more sensitive towards her because after all, he had always been watching her closely, caring for her because he wanted to. Even so, he didn't know if he really knew her in and out, through and through.

_After all, I don't even know if I have a chance._

"Well, it isn't that hard to tell..."

Showing an expression that indicated her thinking hard, Yein shrugged, "there isn't really anyone who has noticed other than you."

Jungkook swallowed. She said it so easily. _Was she always this direct?_

"So what's up?"

Letting out a chuckle that was mixed with a sigh, she answered, "just the same old, same old. You know how directors can be."

Yein didn't say much about her work; just a little here and there. She kept it simple enough for him to understand, minimising on the use of work jargons that he might not be as familiar with.

He watched as she occasionally drank from the can she constantly fiddled between her hands. Her tired eyes clearly looking slightly brighter as they spoke into the night.

Their rendezvous was interrupted by the sound of Jungkook's phone ringing and after a while, her phone began ringing too.

_"Dude! Where are you?"_

"Ah. I left a while ago to get a drink." Jungkook saw Yein raise her eyebrows as she accepted the call from one of the girls.

Raising his own eyebrows in return, he finished the call saying, "don't mind me and get home safe!"

As he hung up, he caught the tail end of her conversation.

"--yeah, be careful and text me when you're home!"

Breaking into a smile, Jungkook said, "guess we both just ditched our friends."

Laughing, Yein nodded. "We sure did."

"What do you wanna do now then?"

Jungkook wondered if his voice sounded excited; if it was obvious that he wanted to spend more time with her. His eyes followed her hand as she lifted it off the table to put it under her chin. It was a motion that she did often; a motion she did as she thought.

Snapping suddenly in his direction, she flashed a wide smile and slammed her hands excitedly on the table.


	4. part four

"Arcade!"

"Excuse me?!"

Jungkook glanced at the digital clock on his phone screen. It was close to half past one in the morning.

"You aren't serious, are you?"

Shrugging her shoulders happily, Yein jumped out of her seat and skipped down the street. Running after her, he pestered her if she was serious about going to the arcade.

The two of them kept it up (him with his pestering and her ignoring him) until she stopped in front of a car. When she fished out a keychain, he heard a beep and the car lights flashed.

Turning to see his bewildered face, she gently nudged him to go to the other side of the car.

"Who--"

"My dad's overseas so I have the car for a week."

"But--"

"I am totally sober now. Drinks was about four hours ago. I'm good to drive. Now, please get in."

Uneasily, Jungkook walked to the other side and opened the car door. He belted up and glanced over at her. Watching how she comfortably operated the car, he relaxed a little.

"So where are we headed to?"

"You'll see when we get there!"

With the engine sounding off to a rumbling start, Yein changed the gear and they headed away from the fateful place where he had met her after seven years.

As Yein pulled over to park the car, Jungkook analysed the street through his side of the window. Recognising the colourful signboard that screamed 'Papa's Arcade', he could feel excitement rising within.

"Wait-- isn't this?"

"Yep, it is!" Yein beamed at him for a second before running ahead.

Jungkook stared in disbelief for few seconds before scurrying after her.

_Running her fingers through her hair to gather them messily (yet still prettily somehow) into a ponytail, her face wore a_ _n excitement that even put a smile on Jungkook's own._

_"The first place to go," Yein began, "is definitely Daytona!"_

_Snapping her fingers and pointing them in the direction of the race cars, she turned on her heels. However, before she was out of reach of Jungkook, he stretched out his arm and held onto her shoulder. Placing his other hand on the other shoulder, he forcefully spun her body to a different direction._

_"The first place to go," he argued, "is to top up the card."_

_Although she responded with a pout, Yein didn't put up a fight because she knew she needed money in the card or else she wouldn't be able to play a single game._

_Immediately after they filled their combined arcade card with money (although the card probably belonged to Yein more because she was the more obsessed one), both made their way to the race cars._

_"Watch out Jeon, I'm gonna win this," Yein got comfortable in her seat and checked the gears._

_With a scoff as he placed his hand on the steering wheel, Jungkook replied, "in a million years, Goran. A million years."_

_Their competition ended after five games because Yein didn't want to admit defeat and keep issuing a new challenge. She had never ever won a single game against him. Still in her seat, she groaned and ruffled her hair in frustration._

_"There, there. Next time, Goran." Jungkook comforted while patting her head, smoothening the mess she had created._

_Her sorrow was short-lived as she was soon found trashing a stranger in game of Tekken and doing a victory dance with her hands in the air._

"Oh yes!"

Yein pumped her fist up. Her first Tekken game of the night (or rather, early morning) and she had claimed the victory for the first round. Despite the odd hour, the little arcade was pretty full and they could only find one available Tekken spot. Jungkook had convinced Yein to go first because after all, Tekken was her specialty. (Plus he didn't really want to go up against her because he would be rusty after years of not playing.)

Up on his tip-toes, Jungkook peered over the console to spy on the opponent and noting it was a guy, he sniggered and nudged Yein. He hand-signalled to her that her opponent was a guy and gave her a thumbs-up.

Responding with a rounded 'O' mouth, Yein chuckled and began relaxing her hands by interlocking her fingers, passing a wave from one hand to the other. Beating a guy in Tekken was something she loved to do and would gladly take up such an offer.

With Jungkook close by her side, Yein tapped hard on the buttons, focusing all her pent up angst on the poor machine.

"Woohoo!!"

Both of them cheered and raised their hands in the air. Giving each other a hi-ten, Jungkook praised Yein for her successful win. Now standing up (because they had jumped up from their seats), they looked over to their opponent.

_Oh crap._

They came face to face with a big guy who wore a hard stare. Yein, having watched too much dramas (and been part of productions), imagined a whole fight scene unfolding before her eyes. Jungkook, on the other hand, just didn't like the look of the guy.

Blinking nervously, Jungkook whispered through his teeth, "shall we get out?"

"Yeah, we should," Yein whispered back.

Giving a short bow towards their opponent, they quickly turned around and made for the exit. Only when they exited and confirmed the big guy didn't follow them did they let go of their breath in which they held out of fear.

Looking at each other, they immediately burst out in laughter.

"Ya Jeon. You're a guy, aren't you supposed to be the last to run away?"

"If it's between the two of us, I think you're the guy."

"Harh?!"

Shooting her fist out, Yein lightly punched him lightly in the gut. Seeing her send out her other fist, Jungkook quickly caught it and they engaged in a struggle – right in the middle of the street at half past two in the morning.

Yein was obviously the one at a disadvantage but she was a tough cookie – giving up was never in her dictionary. Their playful scuffle soon ended with Yein attempting to plant her teeth on Jungkook's forearm.

"Ya ya ya!" his jaw hung agape. "How can you seriously bite me?"

Cheekily sticking out her tongue, Yein skipped towards the other side of the car.

"Where are you going?" _(A/N: In Korean, it'd be "어딜가/oedilga?" which doesn't have a noun like you, I or we. Over here, he is simply asking "go where?", which can be interpreted as he's asking where is __she__ going or where are __they__ going.)_

"I'm hungry."

Unfazed by Jungkook's bewildered expression, Yein flashed a sheepish smile and hopped into the car. Shaking his head, he opened the door and got in.


	5. part five

_Jungkook apologised after colliding into one of the actors as he was shifting a prop. He was about to continue his work when he heard a voice behind call out._

_"Yein ah!"_

_Craning his head to see, his eyes followed the same actor he had just bumped into walk up to Yein. Watching their exchange, he wondered what they even had to talk about. Yein did have a friendly personality but she wasn't a social butterfly. Shrugging it off, he turned his focus back to his work._

_However, as days and weeks went by, it became increasingly obvious that the guy had his eyes on Yein for he openly expressed it. Jungkook spotted them together more often – at the school bookshop, along the corridor, having lunch at the same table. If there was anything he could be thankful in such a situation, it was that the guy was never in their club room._

_"So 8pm at the ddeokbokki stand?"_

_Yein snapped Jungkook out of his thoughts. He responded by staring at her blankly, having not followed the conversation. Understanding his expression, she heaved a sigh and repeated herself._

_"I said, to celebrate your last day of college life, let's meet at 8pm at the ddeokbokki stand. The one along Han River. You remember which one right?"_

_"Ah, right. 8pm. Ddeokbokki stand. Got it."_

_"Then... I'll see you there," Yein said. Adding softly, she mumbled something that he couldn't catch.  
_

_Sending a look that expressed the fact that he didn't hear it and wanted her to repeat, she simply shook her head and bid farewell. Oblivious, Jungkook went back to packing his things. It was his last official day of school and he wanted to bring back as many things as he could.  
_

_Finally out of the club room lugging a large box with his things enclosed, Jungkook slowly walked along the corridors. Soon he wouldn't have the luxury of lessons or a place he could relax between breaks. School was done and dusted.  
_

_As he neared the meeting point, he thought about the delicious ddeokbokki he was going to have and grinned. He was looking forward to it when something caught his attention. Waiting at the stand was Yein. She wasn't alone. Seeing how she was all smiles with that guy, Jungkook suddenly felt a wave of anger.  
_

_He had a ton of questions but upset as he was, he turned and left.  
_

"Mmm, it isn't as nice as that one eh?"

Jungkook looked to his left and nodded slowly. They were having ddeokbokki at a random stand they found along the street as they drove by. Since it was late, not many shops were still open and they had to settle for what was available.

"I really wonder what secret recipe they used," she pondered aloud.

"And what would you do if you found it out?" Jungkook made a face as he paid the seller for the ddeokbokki.

As she turned to begin walking down the street, Yein answered between her chews, "to make it, du-uh."

Offering to drive, Jungkook got into the driver's seat and belted up. Snuggling into the seat beside, Yein struggled with her seatbelt because her hands were occupied by the bowl of ddeokbokki. Having noticed it, Jungkook reached over and took the seatbelt from her and helped her secure it properly with a click.

It didn't occur to him then but when he was back home and thinking through what had happened, he was surprised that right there and then, he felt so comfortable with her. It didn't seem as though it was the first time in seven years they had met.

Following the GPS in the car that took them to Yein's home (which he immediately realised that it was still the same home), the car ride was rather quiet. Seeing how she licked every drop of ddeokbokki sauce from the bowl, Jungkook chuckled.

"You can always just go back to that stall and have their ddeokbokki, you know."

"I know." Yein stared blankly in front of her as the car slowed down to a stop in front of her house. "It was where I waited for hours at."

Jungkook froze in his seat. He wasn't expecting her to grace the topic.

"Why didn't you come?"

Turning sharply to face him, she continued, "I waited till I practically froze to death. And had to eat three bowls of ddeokbokki to keep myself warm!"

Avoiding her gaze, Jungkook bit his lower lip. "Sorry."

"Right, you should be sorry."

Releasing the seatbelt, Yein opened the door and prepared to exit the car. Following suit, Jungkook reached for his seatbelt to unclasp it when she stopped him.

"Cause it's late, take the car home."

Jungkook's eyes widened at her orders and stared at her in surprise. His first thought was that she was drunk but the alcohol from seven hours ago should have worn off.

Standing outside the car with the door ajar, Yein bent down so she could see his face.

"If you're really sorry then come by tomorrow--oh wait it's already tomorrow--come by later at six-thirty then." Pausing briefly, she then bid him, "see ya."

Closing the door with a gently thud, Jungkook watched at Yein went through the gate and disappeared into the house. Glancing around, he interlocked his fingers behind his neck. His heart started racing and he could feel the heat rush to his face and behind his ears.

"뭐지 / mwoji / What is this?!"


End file.
